A randomised controlled trial of clinical supervision: selected findings from a novel Australian attempt to establish the evidence base for causal relationships with quality of care and patient outcomes, as an informed contribution to mental health nursing practice development

2010 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward White ◽  
Julie Winstanley

This paper reports on selected findings from a novel randomised controlled trial (RCT) conducted in mental health settings in Queensland, Australia. Several national and state reports recently revealed the sub-optimal state of Australian mental health service provision which have direct implications for mental health nursing, including the privately experienced cost of working and coping in these settings. Clinical supervision (CS), a structured staff support arrangement, has shown promise as a positive contribution to the clinical practice development agenda and is now found reflected in health policy themes elsewhere in the world. However, CS is underdeveloped in Australia and the empirical evidence base for the informed implementation of CS, per se, has remained elusive. Within the overall context of a RCT design, therefore, and supplemented by other data collection methods, this large and generously funded study attempted to make an incremental contribution to better understanding this demanding substantive domain. Whilst the substantive insights and theoretical propositions reported here were derived from, and may be limited by, a sub-specialty of nursing and a single geographic location, they were earthed in the personal self-reported experience of those directly involved with a clinical practice innovation. They may resonate with counterparts beyond mental health nursing and Queensland, Australia, respectively, therefore, and may assist in both conceptualising and operationalising CS research, education, management, policy and clinical practice development decision making in the future.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Chambers ◽  
Sue McAndrew ◽  
Fiona Nolan ◽  
Benjamin Thomas ◽  
Paul Watts ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: A key component of caring for service users (SUs) in acute mental health inpatient environments is Therapeutic Engagement (TE). To that end, the Therapeutic Engagement Questionnaire (TEQ) was developed and validated. The TEQ measures TE between SUs and registered mental health nurses (RMHNs) from the perspective of both parties and can quantify and recognise how nurses engage with SUs and monitor this activity as well as its enhancement of SU care and recovery. The aim of this study was to explore the views of SUs and RMHNs in relation to the TEQ and how it could be adopted into clinical practice within an acute inpatient environment.Methods: As part of the validation stage of the development of the TEQ, the views of 628 SUs and 543 RMHNs were collected using a qualitative approach by way of free text at the end of the questionnaire. Two questions required free text response: – ‘what do you think of the TEQ?’, and ‘how can it be utilised?’Results: Following thematic analysis, it was found that both sets of participants stated that such a tool could be utilised to improve the service, could help nurses with reflective practice, be utilised as part of clinical supervision and to aid nurses’ professional development. The nurse participants also stated that such a tool would help track SU participation and enablement in their care. Furthermore, the nurses noted that the tool would help to reinforce the core ‘caring’ value of nursing and the overall goal of recovery. The SUs added that a TE tool would recognise the work of mental health nurses and provide them with a clear opportunity to express their views in relation to nursing staff.Conclusions: Therapeutic engagement (TE) has been identified as part of the repertoire of mental health nursing and both groups of participants identified how a tool to assess this construct may be utilised in day-to-day clinical practice to the benefit of each group.


Trials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mairead Furlong ◽  
Sinead McGilloway ◽  
Christine Mulligan ◽  
Colm McGuinness ◽  
Nuala Whelan

Abstract Background Parental mental illness is common and can lead to dependent children incurring a high risk of developing mental disorders, physical illness, and impaired educational and occupational outcomes. Family Talk is one of the better known interventions designed to prevent the intergenerational transmission of mental illness. However, its evidence base is small, with few robust independent randomised controlled trials, and no associated process or cost evaluations. The PRIMERA (Promoting Research and Innovation in Mental hEalth seRvices for fAmilies and children) research programme involves a mixed method evaluation of Family Talk which is being delivered in mental health settings in Ireland to improve child and family psychosocial functioning in families with parental mental illness. Methods The study comprises a multi-centre, randomised controlled trial (RCT), with nested economic and process evaluations, to assess the clinical and cost-effectiveness and implementation mechanisms of Family Talk compared to usual services. The study is being conducted in 15 adult and child mental health settings in Ireland. Families with a parent with mental illness, and children aged 5–18 years (n = 144 families) will be randomised to either the 7-session Family Talk programme (n = 96) or to standard care (n = 48) using a 2:1 allocation ratio. The primary outcomes are child psychosocial functioning and family functioning. Secondary outcomes are as follows: understanding and experience of parental mental illness, parental mental health, child and parental resilience, partner wellbeing and service utilisation. Blind assessments will take place at pre-intervention and at 6- and 12-month follow-up. Discussion Given the prevalence and burden of intergenerational mental illness, it is imperative that prevention through evidence-based interventions becomes a public health priority. The current study will provide an important contribution to the international evidence base for Family Talk whilst also helping to identify key implementation lessons in the scaling up of Family Talk, and other similar interventions, within routine mental health settings. Trial registration ISRCTN Registry, ISRCTN13365858. Registered 5th February 2019.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Chambers ◽  
S. McAndrew ◽  
F. Nolan ◽  
B. Thomas ◽  
P. Watts ◽  
...  

Abstract Background A key component of caring for service users (SUs) in acute mental health inpatient environments is Therapeutic Engagement (TE). To that end, the Therapeutic Engagement Questionnaire (TEQ) was developed and validated. The TEQ measures TE between SUs and registered mental health nurses (RMHNs) from the perspective of both parties and can quantify and recognise how nurses engage with SUs and monitor this activity as well as its enhancement of SU care and recovery. The aim of this study was to explore the views of SUs and RMHNs in relation to the TEQ and how it could be adopted into clinical practice within an acute inpatient environment. Methods As part of the validation stage of the development of the TEQ, the views of 628 SUs and 543 RMHNs were collected using a qualitative approach by way of free text at the end of the questionnaire. Two questions required free text response: – ‘what do you think of the TEQ?’, and ‘how can it be utilised?’ Results Following thematic analysis, it was found that both sets of participants stated that such a tool could be utilised to improve the service, could help nurses with reflective practice, be utilised as part of clinical supervision and to aid nurses’ professional development. The nurse participants also stated that such a tool would help track SU participation and enablement in their care. Furthermore, the nurses noted that the tool would help to reinforce the core ‘caring’ value of nursing and the overall goal of recovery. The SUs added that the TEQ would recognise the work of mental health nurses and provide them with a clear opportunity to express their views in relation to nursing staff. Conclusions Therapeutic engagement (TE) has been identified as part of the repertoire of mental health nursing and both groups of participants identified how a tool to assess this construct may be utilised in day-to-day clinical practice to the benefit of each group.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mairead Furlong ◽  
Sinead McGilloway ◽  
Christine Mulligan ◽  
Colm McGuinness ◽  
Nuala Whelan

Abstract Background: Parental mental illness is common and can lead to dependent children incurring a high risk of developing mental disorders, physical illness, and impaired educational and occupational outcomes. Family Talk is one of the better known interventions designed to prevent the intergenerational transmission of mental illness. However, its evidence base is small, with few robust independent randomised controlled trials, and no associated process or cost evaluations. The PRIMERA (Promoting Research and Innovation in Mental hEalth seRvices for fAmilies and children) research programme involves a mixed methods evaluation of Family Talk which is being delivered in mental health settings in Ireland to improve child and family psychosocial functioning in families with parental mental illness.Methods: The study comprises a multi-centre, randomised controlled trial (RCT), with nested economic and process evaluations, to assess the clinical and cost effectiveness and implementation mechanisms of Family Talk compared to usual services. The study is being conducted in 15 adult and child mental health settings in Ireland. Families with a parent with mental illness, and children aged 5-18 years (n = 144 families) will be randomised to either the 7-session Family Talk programme (n = 96) or to standard care (n = 48) using a 2:1 allocation ratio. The primary outcomes are child psychosocial functioning and family functioning. Secondary outcomes are: understanding and experience of parental mental illness, parental mental health, child and parental resilience, partner wellbeing and service utilisation. Blind assessments will take place at pre-intervention, and at 6-, 12-month follow up.Discussion: Given the prevalence and burden of intergenerational mental illness, it is imperative that prevention through evidence-based interventions becomes a public health priority. The current study will provide an important contribution to the international evidence base for Family Talk whilst also helping to identify key implementation lessons in the scaling up of Family Talk, and other similar interventions, within routine mental health settings.Trial registration: ISRCTN Registry, ISRCTN13365858. Registered 5th February 2019. http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN13365858


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. e050661
Author(s):  
Håvard Kallestad ◽  
Simen Saksvik ◽  
Øystein Vedaa ◽  
Knut Langsrud ◽  
Gunnar Morken ◽  
...  

IntroductionInsomnia is highly prevalent in outpatients receiving treatment for mental disorders. Cognitive–behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is a recommended first-line intervention. However, access is limited and most patients with insomnia who are receiving mental healthcare services are treated using medication. This multicentre randomised controlled trial (RCT) examines additional benefits of a digital adaptation of CBT-I (dCBT-I), compared with an online control intervention of patient education about insomnia (PE), in individuals referred to secondary mental health clinics.Methods and analysisA parallel group, superiority RCT with a target sample of 800 participants recruited from treatment waiting lists at Norwegian psychiatric services. Individuals awaiting treatment will receive an invitation to the RCT, with potential participants undertaking online screening and consent procedures. Eligible outpatients will be randomised to dCBT-I or PE in a 1:1 ratio. Assessments will be performed at baseline, 9 weeks after completion of baseline assessments (post-intervention assessment), 33 weeks after baseline (6 months after the post-intervention assessment) and 61 weeks after baseline (12 months after the post-intervention assessment). The primary outcome is between-group difference in insomnia severity 9 weeks after baseline. Secondary outcomes include between-group differences in levels of psychopathology, and measures of health and functioning 9 weeks after baseline. Additionally, we will test between-group differences at 6-month and 12-month follow-up, and examine any negative effects of the intervention, any changes in mental health resource use, and/or in functioning and prescription of medications across the duration of the study. Other exploratory analyses are planned.Ethics and disseminationThe study protocol has been approved by the Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics in Norway (Ref: 125068). Findings from the RCT will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and advocacy and stakeholder groups. Exploratory analyses, including potential mediators and moderators, will be reported separately from main outcomes.Trial registration numberClinicalTrials.gov Registry (NCT04621643); Pre-results.


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